Members will be taking a field trip on Saturday, February 4, 2006 to Lake Ivie. We will meet at the Burger King on Antilley Road (across from Abilene Regional Medical Center) at 7:30 am. Come early for breakfast and carpooling. Bring snacks and a sack lunch or money for lunch (there is a lake store that has a small grill inside). Remember to dress for the weather and if it’s cool, dress warmly. It always feels colder beside the lake, especially when the wind is blowing across the water. We’ll be looking for loons, Bald Eagles, ducks, and any other wintering birds.

Update: Our field trip produced 73 species of birds and one Bald Eagle, sitting in a lone tree on an island overlooking the lake. Several Common Loons were found and other birds of note were Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Greater Scaup (1), Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Osprey, Eared Grebe, White Pelican, Herring Gull, Vermilion Flycatcher (probably overwintered), Verdin, Marsh Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (early spring migrants), Orange-crowned Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat.